Guwahati, Sept 26 Assam’s Pu’er Tea Cake, a speciality variety, was sold at Rs 12,000 per kg at the Gauhati auction centre, marking a proud moment for the state’s plantation sector, officials said.
The tea cake, manufactured by Golaghat-based Gauripur Tea Industry, was put up for auction on Friday, and five kgs of it was bought for a high bid of Rs 12,000 per kg through its broker J Thomas.
“Gauripur Tea Industry, owned by Aparaj Saikia, is a member of our association. The sale of the tea at this price marks a proud moment for Assam’s tea industry,” North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) Advisor Bidyananda Barkakoty told PTI.
”Hearty congratulations to Aparaj Saikia and his entire team. They have made us proud with this achievement. It is a wonderful milestone for speciality tea from Assam,” he said.
‘Pu’er, or Pu-erh’, is a post-fermented tea traditionally produced in Yunnan Province in China. It is mainly made from the large leaves of Camellia sinensis, particularly the Assamica variety.
Traditionally pressed into cakes or bricks, Pu’er develops its distinctive character through fermentation and ageing. It has a deep, rich and smooth taste, with earthy and woody flavours.
”The sale of Pu-erh tea at Guwahati Tea Auction Centre will pave the way for the sale of Phalap tea through the public auction platform in the near future,” he added.
‘Phalap’ is the traditional tea of the Singpho community residing in Tinsukia and Margherita and is made from the large leaves of Camellia sinensis Assamica.
Barkakoty said that under the Assam Tea Industries Special Incentives Scheme (ATISIS), 2020, the government has increased the subsidy for orthodox and other speciality tea production from Rs 10 to Rs 15 per kg, effective from the 2026–27 financial year.
“This will encourage more production of non-CTC teas and help address the demand-supply imbalance arising from the overproduction of CTC variety,” he added.
(PTI News)
